The Best of Nanci Griffith

-♪ Last of the true believers ♪ -"Austin City Limits" presents a tribute to an Austin original and Texas music icon, Nanci Griffith.

-♪ Home ♪ ♪ Last of the true believers ♪ ♪ You pack your things and go back home ♪ ♪ You should go home again, home again, home ♪ ♪ And he'd sing, "Dance a little closer to me ♪ ♪ Dance a little closer now ♪ ♪ Dance a little closer tonight ♪ -♪ 'Cause when you can't find a friend ♪ ♪ You've still got the radio ♪ ♪ When you can't find a friend, you've still got the radio ♪ ♪ Oh, the radio ♪ ♪ Oh, listen to the radio ♪ ♪ This heart was stranded in the winter ♪ -♪ Was stuck out in a blizzard in its summer clothes ♪ ♪ This heart knows when the love comes ♪ ♪ And when it goes ♪ -Whoo!

-Now, down through the years of her debut performance in 1985, "ACL" presents the very best of Nanci Griffith.

-♪ Mama's in the kitchen rattlin' pans ♪ ♪ And the baby cries ♪ ♪ On the TV news, somebody died ♪ ♪ He was a crazy biker in a motorcycle ridin' ♪ ♪ Daredevil show ♪ ♪ In Merry England, oh ♪ ♪ 27 years old ♪ ♪ He was tryin' to break the record ♪ ♪ For jumpin' over cars, he was the champ ♪ ♪ He fell a little bit short ♪ ♪ Oh, hit the ramp, hit the ramp ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Oh, this is the story, sad and it's gory ♪ ♪ of Robin Winter-Smith ♪ ♪ He was a very brave man ♪ ♪ If you get my drift ♪ ♪ 'Cause he waved to the crowd and headed down the runway ♪ ♪ Like a man possessed ♪ ♪ Oh, Robin Winter-Smith ♪ ♪ I guess he did his best ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I make a livin' a-playin' these songs ♪ ♪ And I hang out in bars ♪ ♪ I play my guitar ♪ ♪ Oh, but, honey, I don't jump over cars ♪ ♪ Mama's in the kitchen rattlin' pans ♪ ♪ And the baby cries ♪ ♪ On the TV news, somebody died ♪ ♪ He was a crazy biker in a motorcycle ridin' ♪ ♪ Daredevil show ♪ ♪ In Merry England, oh ♪ ♪ 27 years old ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Mr. Philip Donnelly over there on the guitar.

[ Cheers and applause ] This is the title song from my new album called "Once in a Very Blue Moon."

♪♪ ♪ I found your letter in my mailbox today ♪ ♪ You were just checkin' if I was okay ♪ ♪ And if I miss you, well, you know what they say ♪ ♪ Just once ♪ -♪ In a very blue moon ♪ ♪ Just once in a very blue moon ♪ ♪ Just once ♪ ♪ In a very blue moon ♪ -♪ And I feel one comin' on soon ♪ ♪ No need to tell me you'd like to be friends ♪ ♪ And help me get back on my feet again ♪ ♪ And if I miss you, well, it's just now and then ♪ ♪ Just once ♪ -♪ In a very blue moon ♪ ♪ Just once in a very blue moon ♪ ♪ Just once ♪ ♪ In a very blue moon ♪ -♪ And I feel one comin' on soon ♪ ♪ There's a blue moon shinin' ♪ ♪ When I am reminded of all we've been through ♪ ♪ Such a ♪ -♪ Blue moon shinin' ♪ ♪ Does it ever shine down on you?

♪ -♪ You act as if it never hurt you at all ♪ ♪ Like I'm the only one who's gettin' up from a fall ♪ ♪ Don't you remember?

♪ ♪ Can't you recall?

♪ ♪ Just once ♪ -♪ In a very blue moon ♪ ♪ Just once in a very blue moon ♪ ♪ Just once ♪ ♪ In a very blue moon ♪ -♪ And I feel one comin' on soon ♪ ♪ Just once in a very ♪ -♪ Blue moon ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] -This next song is a real special tune to me, and it's a -- 'cause it's a brand-new song.

And it's a tune called "The Last of the True Believers."

♪ Oh, he said it was the sound of the winter callin' ♪ ♪ From up around the bend ♪ ♪ Or it could be the cry of your restless heart ♪ ♪ For the love of your long lost friends ♪ ♪ Oh, but me, I think it's just the summertime ♪ ♪ And the heat of these Texas winds ♪ ♪ They keep on slappin' my face with dust so thick ♪ ♪ That the tears won't roll again ♪ -♪ Last of the true believers ♪ ♪ Have you grown weary all alone?

♪ ♪ You could go home again, home again, home ♪ ♪ Last of the true believers ♪ ♪ You pack your things and go back home ♪ ♪ You should go home again, home again, home ♪ -♪ Oh, you can't stay away forever ♪ ♪ 'Cause they say love doesn't last that long ♪ ♪ And the ghost of the one that you loved the best ♪ ♪ Is bound to be long gone ♪ ♪ So won't you fall for the one you believe in ♪ ♪ And take pride in the heart you hold ♪ ♪ 'Cause when the wintertime pounds upon your door ♪ ♪ It's shelter from the cold ♪ -♪ Last of the true believers ♪ ♪ Have you grown weary all alone?

♪ ♪ You could go home again, home again, home ♪ ♪ Last of the true believers ♪ ♪ You pack your things and go back home ♪ ♪ You should go home again, home again, home ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ There's a shadow on our wall where I once stood ♪ ♪ With him in mind ♪ ♪ And there is an empty space beside him ♪ ♪ Where I do take my rest at night ♪ ♪ Oh, and I will be the last of the true believers ♪ ♪ If truth is his heart to lend ♪ ♪ Because this wintertime sure looks cold to me ♪ ♪ Comin' up around the bend ♪ -♪ Last of the true believers ♪ ♪ Have you grown weary all alone?

♪ ♪ You could go home again, home again, home ♪ ♪ Last of the true believers ♪ ♪ You pack your things and go back home ♪ ♪ You should go home again, home again, home ♪ -♪ Oh, I could go ♪ -♪ Home again, home again, home ♪ ♪ Oh, it looks like home again, home again, home ♪ -♪ Oh, I could go ♪ -♪ Home again, home again, home ♪ -♪ He brings me home again, home again, home ♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

[ Cheers and applause ] Thank you kindly.

It's nice to be home again.

This is a beautiful song by Julie Gold, and it's called "From a Distance."

[ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ From a distance the world looks blue and green ♪ ♪ And the snowcapped mountains white ♪ ♪ And from a distance ♪ ♪ The ocean meets the stream ♪ ♪ And the eagle takes to flight ♪ -♪ From a distance there is harmony ♪ ♪ And it echoes through the land ♪ -♪ And it's the voice of hope ♪ ♪ It's the voice of peace ♪ ♪ It's the voice of every man ♪ ♪♪ ♪ From a distance we all have enough ♪ ♪ And no one is in need ♪ ♪ And there are no guns, no bombs ♪ ♪ No diseases ♪ ♪ No hungry mouths to feed ♪ -♪ From a distance we are instruments ♪ ♪ And we're marching in a common band ♪ -♪ Playing songs of hope ♪ ♪ Playing songs of peace ♪ ♪ They're the songs of every man ♪ -♪ And God is watching us ♪ ♪ God is watching us ♪ ♪ God is watching us ♪ -♪ From a distance ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ From a distance you look like my friend ♪ ♪ Even though we are at war ♪ ♪♪ ♪ From a distance I can't comprehend ♪ ♪ What all this war is for ♪ -♪ From a distance there is harmony ♪ ♪ And it echoes through the land ♪ -♪ And it's the hope of hopes ♪ ♪ It's the love of loves ♪ ♪ It's the heart of every man ♪ ♪ It is the hope of hopes ♪ ♪ It's the love of loves ♪ ♪ And this is the song of every man ♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] -Thank you.

[ "Love at the Five and Dime" plays ] As a young girl growing up in Austin, Texas, there was a very special building down at 6th and Congress Avenue.

It was a place that you went to change buses... ...when you were going from North to South Austin.

♪♪ When you got off the bus, you had just enough time to run inside and get yourself a Coca-Cola and look through the record bin and... wink at the boys and get back on the bus.

♪♪ It was called a Woolworth Store.

[ Applause ] ♪♪ Come to find out they have Woolworth Stores all over the world.

[ Laughter ] The first time I went to London, we drove up in front of one, and we'd just flown into town and I wanted to stop the car so I could get out and go fill up my suitcase with unnecessary plastic objects.

[ Laughter ] ♪♪ But all Woolworth Stores are special.

They all smell the same.

They smell a little bit like popcorn and chewing gum rubbed around on the bottom of a leather-sole shoe.

[ Laughter ] And they all have the same sound.

And those that have an elevator in them have a little sound like this.

[ Plays note ] And I've always been asked what that little sound was in this song.

[ Plays note ] And that's what it is.

It's the elevator coming up and down in the Woolworth Store.

[ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪ Rita was 16 years, hazel eyes and chestnut hair ♪ ♪ She made the Woolworth counter shine ♪ ♪♪ ♪ And Eddie was a sweet romancer ♪ ♪ And a darn good dancer ♪ ♪ And they'd waltz the aisles of the five and dime ♪ ♪ And they'd sing ♪ ♪ "Dance a little closer to me ♪ ♪ Dance a little closer now ♪ ♪ Dance a little closer tonight ♪ ♪ Dance a little closer to me ♪ ♪ It's closing time and love's on sale tonight ♪ ♪ At this five and dime" ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Eddie played the steel guitar and his mama cried ♪ ♪ 'Cause he played in the bars ♪ ♪ And he kept young Rita out late at night ♪ ♪♪ ♪ So they married up in Abilene ♪ ♪ Lost a child in Tennessee ♪ ♪ But still that love survived ♪ ♪ 'Cause they'd sing ♪ ♪ "Dance a little closer to me ♪ ♪ Dance a little closer now ♪ ♪ Dance a little closer tonight ♪ ♪ Dance a little closer to me ♪ ♪ Here at closing time 'cause love's on sale tonight ♪ ♪ At this five and dime" ♪ ♪♪ ♪ One of the boys in Eddie's band ♪ ♪ Took a shine to Rita's hand ♪ ♪ So Eddie ran off with the bass-man's wife ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Oh, but he was back by June ♪ ♪ Singin' a different tune ♪ ♪ Sporting Miss Rita back by his side ♪ ♪ And he'd sing ♪ -♪ "Dance a little closer to me ♪ ♪ Dance a little closer now ♪ ♪ Dance a little closer tonight ♪ ♪ Dance a little closer to me ♪ ♪ It's closing time and love's on sale tonight ♪ ♪ At this five and dime" ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ Eddie traveled with the bar room band ♪ ♪ Till arthritis took his hands ♪ ♪ Now he sells insurance on the side ♪ ♪♪ ♪ And Rita's got her house to keep ♪ ♪ She writes dime store novels of a love so sweet ♪ ♪ They dance to the radio late at night ♪ ♪ They still sing ♪ -♪ "Dance a little closer to me ♪ ♪ Dance a little closer now ♪ ♪ Dance a little closer tonight ♪ ♪ Dance a little closer to me ♪ ♪ Hey, it's closing time and love's on sale tonight ♪ ♪ At this five and dime" ♪ ♪♪ -♪ Rita was 16 years ♪ ♪ Hazel eyes and chestnut hair ♪ ♪ She really made the Woolworth counter shine ♪ ♪♪ ♪ And Eddie was a sweet romancer ♪ ♪ They say he was a darn good dancer ♪ ♪ And they'd waltz the aisles of the five and dime ♪ ♪ And they lived a mighty simple life 'cause they'd ♪ -♪ Waltz the aisles of the five and dime ♪ -We could all go tomorrow and take a date.

-♪ Waltz the aisles of the five and dime ♪ -Going up.

Thank you, Austin.

We appreciate it.

We see you.

[ Cheers and applause ] Join in, help me out.

Goes out to all our little folks.

[ "It's a Hard Life Wherever You Go" plays ] ♪♪ ♪ I am a back-seat driver from America ♪ ♪ They drive to the left on Falls Road ♪ ♪ And the man at the wheel's name is Seamus ♪ ♪ We pass a child on the corner he knows ♪ ♪ And Seamus says, "Now, what chance has that kid got?"

♪ ♪ I say from the back, "I don't know" ♪ ♪ He says, "There's barbed wire at all of these exits ♪ ♪ And there ain't no place in Belfast ♪ ♪ For that child to go" ♪ ♪ 'Cause it's a hard life ♪ ♪ It's a hard life ♪ ♪ It's a very hard life ♪ ♪ It's a hard life wherever you go ♪ ♪ And if we poison our children with hatred ♪ ♪ Then the hard life is all that they'll know ♪ ♪ And there ain't no place in Belfast ♪ ♪ For that child to go ♪ ♪♪ ♪ A cafeteria line in Chicago ♪ ♪ The fat man in front of me ♪ ♪ Is calling Black people trash to his children ♪ ♪ When he's the only trash here I see ♪ ♪ And I'm thinking this man wears a white hood ♪ ♪ In the night when his children should sleep ♪ ♪ But they'll slip to their window and they'll see him ♪ ♪ And they think that white hood's all they need ♪ Let me hear you now.

-♪ 'Cause it's a hard life ♪ ♪ It's a hard life ♪ ♪ It's a very hard life ♪ ♪ It's a hard life wherever you go ♪ ♪ If we poison our children with hatred ♪ ♪ Then the hard life is all that they'll know ♪ ♪ And there ain't no place in Chicago ♪ ♪ For these kids to go ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ It's a hard life ♪ ♪ I was a child in the '60s ♪ ♪ Dreams could be held through TV ♪ ♪ We had Disney and Cronkite and Martin Luther ♪ ♪ And I believed, I believed, I believed ♪ ♪ Now, I am the back-seat driver from America ♪ ♪ I am not at control of the wheel ♪ ♪ And I am guilty, I am war ♪ ♪ And I have been the root of all evil ♪ ♪ Lord, and I can't drive on the left side of the road ♪ -♪ 'cause it's a hard life ♪ ♪ It's a hard life ♪ ♪ It's a very hard life ♪ ♪ It's a hard life wherever you go ♪ ♪ And if we poison our children with hatred ♪ ♪ Then the hard life is all that they'll know ♪ ♪ And there ain't no place in this world ♪ ♪ For our kids to go ♪ -'Cause we've made it a hard life wherever they go.

♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

[ Cheers and applause ] As a songwriter, you get inspired by so many different things, and I think as a female songwriter, we all owe a lot to early songwriters who were female who paved a road for us because, prior to the '50s, really, songwriting had been something that was a man's job and women hadn't written too many songs that got heard in public.

And this next song of mine goes out to my heroes who inspired me to become a songwriter, like Carole King and Loretta Lynn and Carolyn Hester and all of my favorite songwriters when I was a young girl, who taught me that your own voice is always the voice that carries you through life the best.

[ Applause ] [ "Listen to the Radio" plays ] ♪♪ ♪ Well, I am leaving Mississippi in the evening rain ♪ ♪ These Delta towns, they wear satin gowns ♪ ♪ In a high-beamed frame ♪ ♪ Loretta Lynn guides my hands through the radio ♪ ♪ Where would I be in times like these ♪ ♪ Without the songs Loretta wrote?

♪ -♪ 'Cause when you can't find a friend ♪ ♪ You've still got the radio ♪ ♪ When you can't find a friend, you've still got the radio ♪ ♪ Oh, the radio, oh, listen to the radio ♪ ♪ The radio, listen to the radio ♪ -♪ Oh, the radio ♪ ♪ Now, I left a handsome two-stepped good ol' boy ♪ ♪ In Tennessee ♪ ♪ Now he's sittin' on the sofa, he's lookin' for his supper ♪ ♪ Wonderin' what's become of me ♪ ♪ I've got a double-o-eighteen Martin guitar ♪ ♪ In the back seat of the car ♪ ♪ And I am leaving Mississippi with the radio on ♪ -♪ 'Cause when you can't find a friend ♪ ♪ You've still got the radio ♪ ♪ When you can't find a friend, you've still got the radio ♪ ♪ Oh, the radio, oh, listen to the radio ♪ ♪ The radio, oh, listen to the radio ♪ ♪ Oh, the radio, listen to the radio ♪ ♪ The radio, oh ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ There's a moon across the border ♪ ♪ In the Louisiana sky ♪ ♪ I smell the Pontchartrain, I hear "Silver Wings" ♪ ♪ And then away Merle Haggard flies ♪ ♪ And that good ol' boy will find a band of gold ♪ ♪ On the stereo ♪ ♪ Hey, then my mama's gonna call and say, "Where's she gone?"

♪ ♪ He'll say, "Down the road with the radio on" ♪ -♪ When you can't find a friend ♪ ♪ You've still got the radio ♪ ♪ When you can't find a friend, you've still got the radio ♪ ♪ Oh, the radio, oh, listen to the radio ♪ ♪ The radio, oh, we listen to the radio ♪ ♪ Oh, the radio ♪ ♪ Oh, listen to the radio ♪ ♪ It's the radio, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, we listen to the radio ♪ ♪ Oh, the radio ♪ ♪ Oh, and then down the road you'll go ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] -Thank you.

"These Days in an Open Book."

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Shut it down and call this road a day ♪ ♪ And put this silence in my heart in a better place ♪ ♪ I have traveled with your ghost now for so many years ♪ ♪ That I see you in the shadows ♪ ♪ Of hotel rooms and headlights ♪ ♪ You're coming up beside me ♪ ♪ Whether it's day or night ♪ ♪ These days my life is an open book ♪ ♪ Missing pages I cannot seem to find ♪ ♪ And these days your face ♪ ♪ In my memory ♪ ♪ Is in a folded hand of grace against these times ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ No one's ever come between your memory and me ♪ -♪ I have traveled this weary vessel here alone ♪ -♪ Will you still find me ♪ ♪ If I leave you here beside this road ♪ -♪ 'Cause I need someone who can touch me ♪ ♪ Who'll put no one above me ♪ ♪ Someone who needs me ♪ -♪ Like the air he breathes ♪ -♪ These days my life is an open book ♪ ♪ Missing pages I cannot seem to find ♪ ♪♪ ♪ These days your face ♪ ♪ In my memory ♪ ♪ Is in a folded hand of grace against these times ♪ ♪ I can't remember where this toll road goes ♪ ♪ Maybe it's Fort Worth, maybe it's a heart of gold ♪ ♪ The price of love is such a heavy toll ♪ ♪ That I live my life in the back roads ♪ ♪ With your love in my pocket ♪ ♪ If I spend the love you gave me ♪ ♪ Tell me ♪ -♪ Where will it go?

♪ -♪ These days my life is an open book ♪ ♪ Missing pages I cannot seem to find ♪ ♪♪ ♪ And these days your face ♪ ♪ In my memory ♪ ♪ Is in a folded hand of grace against these times ♪ -♪ Ohh ♪ -♪ These days your face ♪ ♪ In my memory ♪ ♪ Is in a folded hand of grace ♪ ♪ You are a folded hand of grace ♪ ♪ You're in a folded hand of grace ♪ -♪ Against these times ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you kindly.

This is a song that I wrote for my "Flyer" album that I wrote as a tribute to Buddy Holly and to all of The Crickets and all of the songwriters from out in West Texas that inspired me as a young girl to think I could be one, and especially to Cindy Walker, who kept writing hit songs for everybody, from Roy Orbison to Bing Crosby, and never left West Texas at all.

"This Heart" will always be yours.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ This heart was almost taken ♪ ♪ This heart had a love of its own ♪ ♪ Hey, this heart was reawakened ♪ -♪ When you came along ♪ -♪ And this heart was born feet running ♪ ♪ This heart saw your porch-light on ♪ ♪ Hey, this heart hit the sidewalk wondering ♪ ♪ Why you'd leave that on ♪ ♪♪ -♪ This heart was stranded in the winter ♪ ♪ Was stuck out in a blizzard in its summer clothes ♪ ♪ This heart knows when the love comes ♪ ♪ And when it goes ♪ -Whoo!

♪♪ ♪ This heart hears the telephone ringing ♪ ♪ This heart's gonna let it go ♪ ♪ Hey, this heart knows the bells she's hearing ♪ ♪ Aren't the telephone ♪ ♪ And this heart has heard your laughter ♪ ♪ This heart has learned how to smile ♪ ♪ Hey, this heart'll be your true believer ♪ ♪ If you stay a while ♪ ♪♪ -♪ This heart was stranded in the winter ♪ ♪ Was stuck out in a blizzard in its summer clothes ♪ ♪ This heart knows when the love comes ♪ ♪ And when it goes ♪ -Whoo!

♪♪ ♪ This heart, this heart ♪ ♪ This heart ♪ ♪♪ -♪ This heart was stranded in the winter ♪ ♪ Was stuck out in a blizzard in its summer clothes ♪ ♪ This heart knows when the love comes ♪ ♪ And when it goes ♪ -Whoo!

♪ This heart was almost taken ♪ ♪ Hey, this heart was born feet running ♪ ♪ And this heart hears the telephone ringing ♪ -♪ Gonna let it go ♪ ♪♪ ♪ This heart, this heart ♪ ♪ This heart ♪ ♪ This heart, this heart ♪ ♪ This heart ♪ ♪ This heart, this heart ♪ ♪ This heart ♪ -1, 2, turn it up.

♪♪ ♪♪ 1, 2, do it for Buddy.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you, "Austin City Limits"!

The Crickets -- Sonny Curtis, Glen D. Hardin, Joe B. Mauldin, and J.I.

Allison.

That's the real deal.

[ Cheers and applause ] We got my -- my band leader of the past 12 years, Mr. James Hooker, up there to sing the duet with me.

[ Applause ] -Thank you.

-Mr. "Amazing Rhythm Aces."

I first heard this song when I was about 14 or 15 years old, and my dad had taken me down to hear Townes Van Zandt play, and on the way to the show, my father told me in the car, "Now, I want you to pay attention tonight, 'cause the gentleman that you're going to hear is the greatest folk songwriter that Texas ever gave birth to, and that's only 'cause Woody Guthrie was actually born in Oklahoma."

[ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪ The name she gave ♪ ♪ Was Caroline ♪ ♪ Daughter of a miner ♪ ♪ And her ways were free ♪ ♪ And it seemed to me ♪ ♪ The sunshine ♪ ♪ Walked beside her ♪ ♪♪ -♪ She came to Spencer ♪ ♪ Across the hill ♪ ♪ She said her Pa had sent her ♪ ♪ 'Cause the coal was low ♪ ♪ And soon the snow ♪ ♪ Would turn the ♪ ♪ Skies to winter ♪ ♪♪ ♪ She said she'd come ♪ ♪ To look for work ♪ ♪ And she was not seeking favors ♪ -♪ For a dime a day ♪ ♪ And a place to stay ♪ ♪ She would turn those ♪ ♪ Hands to labor ♪ ♪♪ -♪ Times were hard, Lord ♪ ♪ And jobs were few ♪ ♪ All through Tecumseh Valley ♪ ♪ She'd asked around ♪ ♪ And a job she found ♪ ♪ Tending bar ♪ ♪ At Gypsy Sally's ♪ ♪♪ ♪ And she saved enough ♪ ♪ To get back home ♪ ♪ When spring replaced the winter ♪ ♪ But her dreams were denied ♪ ♪ Her pa had died ♪ ♪ The word ♪ ♪ Had come down from Spencer ♪ ♪♪ ♪ So she turned to whorin' ♪ ♪ Out on the streets ♪ ♪ With all the lust inside her ♪ ♪ And it was many a man ♪ ♪ Returned again ♪ ♪ To lay him ♪ ♪ Self beside her ♪ ♪♪ ♪ They found her down ♪ ♪ Beneath the stairs ♪ ♪ That led to Gypsy Sally's ♪ ♪ And in her hand when she died ♪ ♪ There was a note ♪ ♪ That cried ♪ ♪ "Fare thee well ♪ ♪ Tecumseh Valley" ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ The name she gave ♪ -♪ Will always be Caroline ♪ -♪ She was the daughter ♪ -♪ Daughter of a miner ♪ -♪ And her ways were free ♪ -♪ And it seems to me ♪ ♪ The sunshine ♪ ♪ Still walks beside her ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you, James.

-Thank you.

[ Applause ] -That was beautiful.

[ Cheers and applause ] -I came into work one day, and -- I know, I had a job at one point.

[ Laughter ] But I came into work one day, and I was walking in the back and somebody was playing a record called "Once in a Very Blue Moon" and a song called "Mary and Omie" was on.

And I was walking in the back and I was just listening, and I stopped before I got there and I turned around.

I sat at the back of the door, I listened to the whole song, and I put my stuff down.

I came back, and it was a Nanci Griffith record, and since that day, I've loved her with all my heart and everything that I have in my body and she's graced us with her presence many a time, and right now, I'm gonna invite Nanci out to do a song with us.

[ Cheers and applause ] I've always wanted to say, "Y'all welcome Nanci Griffith."

[ Laughs ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ "Gulf Coast Highway" plays ] ♪♪ -♪ Gulf Coast Highway ♪ ♪ He worked the rails ♪ ♪ He worked the rice fields ♪ ♪ With their cool, dark wells ♪ ♪ He worked the oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico ♪ ♪ The only thing we've ever owned ♪ ♪ Is this old house here by the road ♪ ♪ And when he dies ♪ ♪ He says he'll catch some blackbird's wing ♪ ♪ He will fly away to heaven ♪ ♪ Come some sweet, blue bonnet spring ♪ -♪ She walked through springtime ♪ ♪ When I was home ♪ ♪ The days were sweet ♪ ♪ The nights were warm ♪ ♪ Seasons change, jobs would come, flowers fade ♪ ♪ This old house felt so alone ♪ ♪ When the work took me away ♪ ♪ And when she dies ♪ ♪ She said she'll catch some blackbird's wing ♪ ♪ We will fly away to heaven ♪ ♪ Come some sweet, blue bonnet spring ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ Highway 90 ♪ ♪ The jobs are gone ♪ ♪ We tend our garden ♪ -♪ We set the sun ♪ ♪ This is the only place on Earth blue bonnets grow ♪ ♪ Once a year they come and go ♪ ♪ At this old house here by the road ♪ -♪ And when we die ♪ ♪ We say we'll catch some blackbird's wing ♪ -♪ And we will fly away to heaven ♪ ♪ Come some sweet, blue bonnet spring ♪ -♪ Yes, when we die ♪ ♪ We say we'll catch some blackbird's wing ♪ -♪ And we will fly away together ♪ ♪ Come some sweet, blue bonnet spring ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] -This song is from the latest CD "Clock Without Hands," and it's a song that I wrote on my first trip to Vietnam and Cambodia.

I was very moved in landing at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, which we all as Saigon, and realizing that I was coming in to a place where loved ones had lost their innocence and walking through a space my ex-husband, who is a songwriter -- brilliant songwriter, Eric Taylor -- had once served part of his life.

20 years taken out of a lot of veterans' lives after the war to get their lives back together.

And I was very moved by that whole thing and wrote this song in the middle of the night.

[ Clears throat ] Called Eric Taylor up and played it for him.

Good psychologist that he is now.

And he said, "I'll call you back in a minute."

Hung up the phone, called me back, and said he'd like to send all of his ex-wives to Vietnam.

[ Laughter ] [ "Traveling Through This Part of You" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Nothing that I've ever seen ♪ ♪ Now means much of anything ♪ ♪ In traveling through this part of you ♪ ♪ And the Vietnam that I had dreamed ♪ ♪ The place you wore your life "fatigued" ♪ ♪ I'm traveling through this part of you ♪ ♪ Where are you amongst the madness ♪ ♪ On the streets of Saigon?

♪ ♪ Where were you in 1969?

♪ ♪ When I was but a youth ♪ ♪ Oh, here were you ♪ ♪ You were traveling through this part of you ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ And I'll make my way now on my own ♪ ♪ Back to my home to live alone ♪ ♪ Having traveled through this part of you ♪ ♪ Yet, I will save this time and place ♪ ♪ For a time when I can say ♪ ♪ I traveled truth in this part of you ♪ ♪♪ ♪ And where are you amongst the madness ♪ ♪ On the streets of Saigon?

♪ ♪ Where were you in 1969?

♪ ♪ When I was but a youth ♪ ♪ Oh, here were you ♪ ♪ You were traveling through this part of you ♪ ♪ And you were an American boy ♪ ♪ Whose innocence was lost here in the war ♪ ♪ And I wear your scars ♪ ♪ While traveling through this part of you ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Nothing that I've ever seen ♪ ♪ Now means much of anything ♪ ♪ In traveling through this part of you ♪ ♪ And the Vietnam that I had dreamed ♪ ♪ The place you wore your life "fatigued" ♪ ♪ I'm traveling through this part of you ♪ ♪ I am traveling through this part of you ♪ ♪ I am traveling through this part of you ♪ Say thank you.

♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

[ Cheers and applause ] That's it.

Thank you, Austin!

God bless you.

It's a pleasure to be home.

[ Applause ] -♪ Well I've got a hammer ♪ ♪ And I've got a bell ♪ -♪ And I've got a song to sing ♪ ♪ All over this land ♪ ♪ It's the hammer of justice ♪ ♪ It's the bell of freedom ♪ ♪ It's the song about love ♪ ♪ Between my brothers and my sisters ♪ ♪ All over this land ♪ ♪ It's the hammer of justice ♪ ♪ It's the bell of freedom ♪ ♪ And it's the song about love ♪ ♪ Between my brothers and my sisters ♪ ♪ All over this land ♪ -Let freedom ring, let freedom teach.

♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ]